CONCACAFhttp://www.concacaf.com
The Official CONCACAF WebsiteTue, 31 Mar 2015 22:01:05 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1Late goal gives Switzerland draw with U.S.http://www.concacaf.com/article/late-goal-gives-switzerland-draw-with-u-s
http://www.concacaf.com/article/late-goal-gives-switzerland-draw-with-u-s#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 20:57:14 +0000Rene Rodriguez/?post_type=article&p=94653The United States conceded a late goal and settled for a 1-1 draw with host Switzerland in an international friendly on Wednesday.]]>

Action from the international friendly between the USA (blue jersey) and host Switzerland on March 31, 2015, in Zurich. (Photo: isiphotos.com)

ZURICH, Switzerland — The United States conceded a late goal and settled for a 1-1 draw with host Switzerland in an international friendly on Wednesday.

Valentin Stocker scored in the 80th minute to equalize against the 10-man visitor at Stadion Letzigrund. After the American defense could not clear a short-played corner kick, the unmarked 25-year-old midfielder poked the ball home easily from three-yards out.

The Americans were forced to play the final 32 minutes, plus stoppage time, a man down following Jozy Altidore’s 68th minute ejection.

Brek Shea was handed the starting role at left back for the U.S. once it was determined that Fabian Johnson could not play due to flu-like symptoms. The Orlando City SC standout’s insertion proved to be serendipitous.

In the 45th minute, Shea lofted a 24-yard free kick from the left side over a four-man wall, past goalkeeper Roman Burki and inside the upper near post to give the USA a 1-0 halftime advantage.

Altidore was dismissed after accruing a pair of cautions within seconds of one another in the 68th minute. The first was issued when he fouled Jacques Fracois Moubandje. The Toronto FC forward said something to referee Luca Banti, who immediately showed the Toronto FC another yellow. It was Altidore’s first red card in his 80-game international career.

The U.S. will return to action on April 15 against CONCACAF archrival Mexico in San Antonio, Texas, on April 15.

LANDOVER, Maryland – Promising displays in a 2-0 loss on Saturday to 2014 FIFA World Cup runner-up Argentina has injected a sense of optimism into the El Salvador squad, coaching staff and fan base.

With the Cuscatlecos’ qualifying campaign for the next World Cup set to start in June against St. Kitts & Nevis, those good feelings could provide the catalyst essential for success as they look to take the next step.

“Being strong in defense against a devastating attack, that’s what we did, defending well,” said head coach Albert Roca. “I think that we worked very well as a team and with this attitude we will improve.”

El Salvador will get an immediate opportunity to demonstrate continued development on Tuesday, when it faces Central American rival Guatemala in a friendly at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

“I liked the match against Argentina, but we will set up differently against Guatemala,” the 52-year-old Spaniard remarked. “We will enforce the process that we have done until now. We have a few training sessions and a few matches. We will have opponents more on our level and, tactically, we will have another game plan that gives us more possibilities of victory.”

Since Roca’s appointment to the managerial post last May, the Salvadorans have squared off against six teams that participated in Brazil. Though it has won only one of the games (1-0 v Honduras in the Central America), strong outings were produced in losses to the Ivory Coast (2-1), Spain (2-0) and, of course, Argentina.

“I hope the people have pride in what they have seen,” Roca finished. “We’ve had to implement the process up to now. It is a new group. With this attitude we are going to achieve great things. The people have to be realistic and optimistic with these boys.

The Guatemalans prevailed 15-2 over the U.S. Virgin Islands as Miguel Gonzalez (5 goals) and Angel Saenz (4 goals) combined for nine goals. In an entertaining battle between Central American rivals, Costa Rica earned a 9-5 victory against Panama.

The U.S. Virgin Islands and Panama have been eliminated from contention.

CONCACAF.com recaps the Group D action:

Guatemala 15, U.S. Virgin Islands 2

- After Angel Saenz gave Guatemala a 1-0 lead, Miguel Gonzalez scored five of his team’s next 10 goals to give an 11-0 cushion after two periods

- Saenz scored in each of the three periods: one in the first, two in the second and one in the third

COSTA DEL SOL, El Salvador – The defending champion United States and the Bahamas sealed quarterfinal places in the 2015 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship with identical 4-3 Group C wins on Monday at the Estadio de Futbol Playa.

An own-goal by Gershum Philip of Antigua & Barbuda (0-0-2, 0 points) early in the third period broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Bahamas the victory, while Nicolas Perera struck twice in the third period to lift the Americans past upset-minded Barbados (0-0-2, 0 points).

The Barbadians and Antigua have been eliminated from contention.

CONCACAF.com recaps the Group C action:

Bahamas 4, Antigua & Barbuda 3

- Antigua & Barbuda held a 3-2 lead past the mid-way point of the second period

- Odel Murray scored all of Antigua & Barbuda’s goals, two in the first period and one in the second

- The Bahamas’ Lesly St. Fleur netted for the second time in the game to level the score at 3-3 with 4:32 left in the second period

- St. Fleur has scored five goals in two games

- The Bahamas’ Ehren Hanna scored in a second straight game

USA 4, Barbados 3

- Game scoreless until Chris Cummings gave the USA a 1-0 lead with 10:56 left in the second period

- Barbados’ Tito Beckles equalized at 1-1 with 10:13 left in the third period

- Nicolas Perera scored the first of his two goals to put the USA ahead 2-1 with 9:51 left in the third period and Jason Leopoldo made it 3-1 slightly more than two minutes later

- Jamar Grazette netted twice, his second coming with 0:53 left in the game, to level the score at 3-3

- Perera struck for the game-winning goal with 0:09 left on the clock, giving him a team-best three goals in two games

COSTA DEL SOL, El Salvador – Host El Salvador (3-0-0, 9 points) captured the Group A title in the 2015 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, storming back from a four-goal deficit to defeat Jamaica 7-4 on Monday at the Estadio de Futbol Playa.

Jose Ruiz struck for three goals in a winning effort, while Jermaine Anderson netted a brace for the Reggae Boyz (2-0-1, 6 points), who were ahead 4-0 after the first period. Both teams entered the game having previously sealed quarterfinal places

In the other Group A game, Franz Nuñez scored two goals and Belize (1-0-2, 3 points) won for the first time, defeating Puerto Rico (0-0-3, 0 points), 6-1.

CONCACAF.com recaps the Group A action:

Puerto Rico 1, Belize 6

- Franz Nuñez scored the first two goals of the game as Belize jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period

- Puerto Rico pulled a goal back in the second period through Xavier Sancho

- Three different players – Elton Gordon, John King and Lionel Cabral – scored Belize’s last three goals, all in the third period

El Salvador 7, Jamaica 4

- Jose Ruiz scored three goals for El Salvador, giving him five for the tournament

- After the first period, Jamaica held a 4-0 lead on a pair of goals by Jermain Anderson and single tallies from Daemion Benjamin and Derrick Planter

- At the end of the second period, Jamaica still held a 4-3 advantage

- El Salvador’s Frank Velasquez made it 4-4 nearly three minutes into the third period

- Ruiz broke the tie nearly two minutes later, while Ruben Batres added a pair of insurance tallies to close out the scoring

- El Salvador’s Abraham Henriquez scored in the second period, giving him at least one goal in each of the three group games

- Velasquez has scored in each of El Salvador’s three group games and has a tournament-best 11 goals